UOWD awards Summer Scholarships to 31 studentsThe University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) has awarded summer scholarships to 31 meritorious students, offering 20 per cent to 100 per cent off on tuition fees, excluding living and other expenses. The scholarships were awarded in accordance with strict eligibility and selection criteria laid down by the University. “UOWD believes in giving all bright students a fair chance of winning the academic scholarships,” said Prof. Rob Whelan, President of UOWD. “Our focus is on recognizing bright students and supporting them to keep pursuing academic excellence semester after semester. This encourages the students not to be complacent.”The recipients, who include first-time awardees as well as students already on scholarship, commended the University’s scholarship program which entitles students to take advantage of the scholarships available each semester, based on their performance in the previous semester.“I am thrilled to be awarded a scholarship for academic excellence yet again,” said Rinki Singhvi, a second year B.Com student majoring in Accountancy, who won a 50 per cent scholarship. “As these scholarships are based on academic performance, they provide great motivation to better one’s performance. Also, one can keep applying each semester.”Ghadeer Al Safi, who joined UOWD’s B.Com program after a stellar performance in Arab Unity School Dubai, also won a 50 per cent scholarship. “The scholarship will motivate me to work harder to achieve my ambition of becoming an accountant. It is great to enter a prestigious university by paying just half the fees.” Divya Phulwani, who is doing her Masters in Finance and Banking, is one of the first-time recipients of a 100 per cent scholarship. “In these financially challenging times, a full scholarship is a great blessing. It will encourage me to keep working harder to maintain my grades and benefit from a unique learning environment and experienced faculty drawn from across the world.”“This is a reward for my consistent performance in the last semester,” said Irfan Jhabuawala, an MBA student, a first-time winner of a 50 per cent scholarship, who wants to take up hospital management in India after getting his degree. “I would like to put the excellent education I am getting here to good use in my future career. This scholarship has given a new boost to my ambitions.”A complete list of the 2009 summer scholarship winners is available at www.uowdubai.ac.ae.